I'm Not Letting You Go
by SuperAwesomePandaKitty
Summary: Stiles is woken up in the middle of the night to find that something happened to Derek and Cora. Everyone's alive...more or less I didn't want anyone in the pack to be dead


So this idea came to me last night when I was sick and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it down and don't worry the next chapter of my other fic is coming soon :3 Hope you enjoy :)

Stiles half-heartedly swatted at his phone when it began to ring and it fell off his bedside table. Grumbling when it rang again, he moved over to pick it up from the floor and answered it.

"Urgh whoever it is, you better have a good reason for calling me." Stiles said tiredly.

"Stiles! It's Derek and Cora, something's happened." Scott replied worriedly, every bit the concerned puppy he was.

Stiles sat up quickly, more awake than he should have been at, he quickly glanced at his clock, 4:15 in the morning. "What's wrong?" He demanded, getting out of bed and rummaging in his wardrobe for his shirt and a pair of jeans.

"I don't know, Isaac and I woke up when we heard Lydia scream and then Derek howled. We're going to go over to the loft now to check it out." Scott answered worriedly. "Are you coming?" He added, the engine of his motorbike starting could be heard in the background.

"Yes, I'll be there in five. Scott! Be careful." Stiles said, quickly trying to put on his clothes while simultaneously holding the phone to his ear with his shoulder.

"I know." Scott answered before hanging up. Stiles hurriedly put on the rest of his clothes and grabbed his keys. He then left a quick note for his dad to let him know he was going in case his dad woke up before he got home.

He started the jeep and took off, driving slightly over the speed limit in his panic and he took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Derek is going to be fine; he's going to be fine." Stiles told himself; trying to stop his anxiety from causing a panic attack.

Over the last few months, Stiles and Derek had become close, always sitting together during pack meetings, doing research and more often than not, they were paired together during stake-outs and when anything supernatural came along, Derek usually turned to Stiles for advice. Derek had become a lot more open with the pack due to Stiles influence and had even agreed to rebuild the Hale house so the pack could live there.

When Stiles managed to get to Derek's loft, he noticed Scott's bike as well as Lydia's car parked outside, no doubt Jackson and Allison had came with her when she went off in a trance. Stiles rubbed his hands together anxiously, taking a deep breath to calm himself as he felt his magic begin to bubble beneath his skin. Deaton had began to teach Stiles how to be an emissary for the pack since his Spark had become stronger and he was able to use his magic to help the pack when they needed it. He still hadn't gotten used to the idea and Derek was the only one who knew he could use magic, the others knew something was up because of the change in his scent and some of his behaviour but they didn't ask because they knew things were hard for him ever since the Nogitsune incident.

Stiles walked into Derek's building, he could hear the betas arguing amongst themselves and he quickly rushed upstairs to see what was going on. When he opened the door to the loft, he could see Erica and Isaac having a heated discussion with Boyd stood off to the side with an annoyed but concerned facial expression. Scott was with Allison, looking like the big concerned puppy he was and pulling Allison into a tight hug when she looked at him with tears in her eyes. Lydia was sitting down on a chair looking dazed and Jackson was hovering over her worriedly. Ever since the twins had left and Jackson had come back from England, Jackson had been trying to prove himself to the pack and Lydia, he still acted like a confident jerk at times but one look at his eyes revealed a vulnerability he was desperately trying to hide. Like he wasn't sure how far he could take a joke before everyone would turn their backs on him and leave him alone again.

"Where are Kira, Malia and Liam?" Stiles asked no one in particular.

"Malia's at Kira's house, they have a big test to study for tomorrow and I told them to look after Liam. He wanted to come too but I couldn't risk it once I saw her." Scott explained, looking down.

Stiles choked on a sob sadly when his eyes fell on Cora lying on the floor with her eyes open. From the neck up she looked like she could just start laughing at any minute and say it was all a joke but it wasn't a very funny one if it was. Before he knew it, he was kneeling beside her, trying to look at her wounds that he knew weren't healing but he wished they were.

"Cora. I need you to heal." Stiles told her softly.

"Stiles." Scott said sadly, walking towards Stiles and giving him a hug from behind.

"No Scott. I need her to heal!" Stiles snapped, shrugging Scott off and reaching for that Spark within himself and trying to get her to heal with his will.

"Stiles...she's gone." It was Erica now, pleading with him through a lump in her throat.

"Where's Derek?!" Stiles asked, ignoring everyone in favour of trying to focus on Cora.

"We don't know, Derek's been teaching us to smell emotion and Peter and Derek were the last people here besides Cora. There's nothing but sadness and a lot of anger here but I can't be sure I'm still not that good." Scott told him, watching him worriedly.

"Well where is Peter?" Stiles bit out, moving his hands to the worst of Cora's wounds and adding an extra ounce of belief behind his actions.

"We don't know. What are you doing?" Scott said, moving to the other side of Cora so he could look at Stiles gently.

Stiles didn't reply, grunting in exertion as Cora's worst wound began to close. Scott looked on in amazement.

"Stiles how are you doing that?" Scott asked with a shocked expression on his face. Everyone began to go towards Stiles curiously to see for themselves what was happening, Jackson helped Lydia walk over; who was a little more coherent now.

"That's what Deaton was teaching you?" Lydia asked Stiles which was more of a statement than a question. Stiles just nodded, too afraid that if he spoke, he would break his concentration.

"Teaching him what?" Isaac asked worriedly, his baby blues in full display.

"To be an Emissary." Stiles gasped out when he had finished, leaning down to listen to Cora's chest. "I have to get her heart beating again, Allison do you mind tilting her head up for me please." He added, focusing his Spark into his hands again and placing them on her chest.

"An Emissary?" Scott asked in surprise. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well I didn't want anyone to know in case it didn't work, other than Deaton, Derek's the only one who knows and that's only because I had an accidental outburst when a Wendigo almost killed him." Stiles replied honestly, closing his eyes and focusing on the task.

"Oh no." Lydia gasped out, breaking Stiles out of his concentration to look at her. Lydia looked up at everyone and began to breathe heavily before letting out a long scream, everyone covered their ears a little too late and when she had finished their ears were still ringing. Lydia was already in her trance like state and trying to walk off while Jackson kept his tight hold on her.

"Who is it Lydia?!" Stiles asked worriedly. Allison set her hands on his trembling ones.

"We need to save Cora. If you believe you can do it, then try." Allison told him determinedly.

"I'll go with her." Scott told him, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"You keep her safe and call me the minute you know." Stiles told him, the unspoken "if it's Derek" didn't need to be said.

"I promise." Scott told him, giving him a hug.

"Boyd and Jackson, you go with them." He said, trying to hold in his emotions, he had to save Cora now. "Isaac and Erica, I need you here to take her pain **when** she wakes up." He had to believe she would. They nodded, sitting on either side of him to comfort him.

Stiles rubbed his hands together again; grabbing hold of that spark inside of him and believing that if he could jump start her heart, he could bring her back. "Come on Cora, I'm not letting you go." He said, assuring the others more than himself. He set his hands on her chest and his hands began to glow blue, grunting in exertion, he kept pushing and pushing inside himself, willing her to wake up.

"Please Cora! Don't do this to me." Stiles said desperately. Isaac, Erica and Allison all gave him worried looks but seemed to be just as desperate for this to work as he was.

Just as Stiles was about to give up, Isaac and Erica perked up. "Her heart is beating." Isaac exclaimed in surprise.

"It's really slow but it's still beating." Erica said excitedly, her eyes shiny with hopeful tears.

"Allison give her two breaths of air, she's still not breathing and we need to get her to breathe on her own. Erica, Isaac, grab her hands and take some of her pain." Stiles ordered eagerly, Erica moved to the other side of Cora quickly to take her hand and black veins immediately began to move up both her and Isaac's hands.

Stiles changed his will to trying to heal Cora enough so she could use her own healing abilities, and soon enough, Cora blinked and she began to cough. "Back up and give her some air, Isaac bring a glass of water please." Stiles said worriedly. "Cora, are you okay?" He added with a concerned look and helping her sit up.

"I'm okay, I'm really hurt but I'm healing." Cora rasped, giving Stiles a grateful look when he accepted the glass from Isaac and helped her take a drink.

"Slowly, you'll make yourself sick." Stiles said half-heartedly when she began to drink greedily from the glass. "What happened?" He asked her when she had finished, gently setting her down and pulling a cushion down from the sofa to place it under her head.

"I don't know, one minute Derek and I were sitting on the couch watching friends re-runs and next thing I know Peter comes rushing in and shouting his mouth off about the fire. It was like he snapped Stiles, he started shouting at Derek and saying it was all his fault and that he deserved whatever punishment hell would give him. Derek just sat there and took it, like he believed whatever Peter told him, but then Peter started this rant about how he killed Laura. Saying things like she deserved it, she had the Alpha powers he deserved and how he should have killed Derek and me when he had the chance." Cora said in a shaky breath. Stiles put his arm around her and pulled her closer while he silently encouraged her to continue.

"Then Peter took a step closer to me and Derek stood up instantly and moved to block me from Peter's view. Peter just laughed at Derek and told Derek he couldn't protect me, he couldn't protect any of us and one way or another Peter was going to kill us all and leave Derek for last so he could make sure Derek knew he had 'lost another family.'" Cora said, Isaac, Erica and Allison all began to gravitate closer to Cora as well, a pack bond strong between them all.

"And then what happened?" Allison asked with a concerned look, curling up to Cora's other side; the two girls had formed an unlikely bond over and were very close.

"Well Derek growled, obviously upset and Peter went to run around Derek to lunge at me but Derek got in his way and he knocked Derek over. I got up and went to help Derek up and Peter tried to go for me again, Derek pushed me aside and met Peter half-way. Peter growled angrily and smirked as he grabbed a knife out of his pocket which reeked of wolvesbane once he had taken it out and stabbed Derek in the right side of his chest. Derek fell...I wolfed out and ran at Peter, he said something about this not being personal before he tried to swipe at me, I dodged out of the way and slashed his chest and he pretended he was going to go right so I dodged left before he dug his claws into my stomach and then he bit into my neck. Derek managed to pull Peter off before Peter could tear out my throat though but Peter punched Derek and knocked him back before digging his claws and dragging them down my chest...I don't really remember much after that. Except Derek's face." Cora finished shakily. She sat up a little, quickly.

"Oh God. Derek! He thinks I'm dead. He had the most heartbroken look before I lost consciousness." Cora sobbed; Stiles pulled her and Allison in tighter, Erica and Isaac hugging on both sides of Allison and Stiles with hands still touching Cora to comfort her.

"It's okay Cora; it's going to be okay." Stiles told her, trying to reassure her and the others, it wasn't a strange occurrence for Stiles to be the one they all turned to; they seemed to be coming to him more and more with their problems and Stiles wasn't sure if it was just because of his 'not-so-secret' emissary status within the pack.

Stiles sighed contentedly when Cora turned her face to scent mark him and he rubbed his nose on her cheek comfortingly before getting up quickly when his phone rang and answering it immediately.

"Scott?!" Stiles answered anxiously.

"Stiles calm down, it's okay." Scott said worriedly, already picking up on Stiles' quickening breaths. "I need you to sit down okay and stay calm." Scott added soothingly.

Stiles sat down slowly with an anxious glance at the others who were looking at him with concern. "What is it Scott? You're scaring me buddy." Stiles said shakily, trying to add some humour to the situation.

"Derek's alive." Scott said quickly, knowing Stiles would want to hear that first.

Stiles let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding and sighed with relief. "Oh thank god. Put him on the phone I wanna talk to him." Stiles replied gratefully.

"Ummm...that's kind of the bad news, we can't." Scott said worriedly before quickly adding. "Don't freak out! We're working on a solution okay?"

"What do you mean a solution? What the hell happened?" Stiles shouted, his breathing quickening up again.

"Okay so Peter must have goaded Derek into coming to the forest because Peter's here, he's dead. Derek didn't kill him before you ask." Scott answered, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Chris was out patrolling the territory tonight, he said that Derek was on the ground and Peter was going to kill him so Chris shot him. Derek's hurt bad, I think I can smell Wolvesbane in his system." Scott added slowly, keeping his hearing focused just in case Stiles panicked.

"Okay so help him." Stiles said impatiently, standing up to pace while the others watched on in apprehension.

"We can't. He won't let anyone get close. Deaton's here as well but whenever he told Derek he was coming to help, Derek snapped at him and growled." Scott said anxiously, Stiles knew Scott's wolf was just as panicked at not being able to help his pack, even though both Derek and Scott were Alpha's, they worked well together and co-ran the pack.

"Fine, I'm coming down there now. I can't bring Cora as she's too weak at the moment. I brought her back Scott." Stiles told him proudly; glad he could help the pack.

"Wow! Is she okay?" Scott asked excitedly, glad she was alive.

"Yeah she's okay." Stiles said when she gave him an affirmative nod. "She's hurt but she's healing."

"Tell her I'm so glad she's okay and we are definitely letting her choose the next 10 movies for pack nights." Scott said cheerfully. Scott heard Cora chuckle weakly in the background and smiled before telling Stiles goodbye and hanging up the phone.

"Derek did you hear that? Stiles is coming." Scott told Derek who was lying beneath a tree, growling at anyone who got too close.

"Okay I need to go and get Derek to let us heal him, apparently he's growling at anyone and everyone who gets close. I'm sorry Cora but Chris had to shoot Peter in order to save Derek." Stiles told Cora gently with a sad look; Peter may have been an asshole but he was still her family.

"Thanks Stiles, I'm just glad Derek's still alive." Cora said tiredly.

'Not for much longer at this rate.' Stiles thought worriedly. "Isaac and Erica, you stay with Cora, help lift her up to Derek's bed, the scent will soothe her and whether the grump likes it or not, we're having a cuddle session tonight alright?" Stiles told them with an affectionate smile, trying to keep their spirits up but also knowing that Cora needed sleep and some time to heal. "Allison, do you wanna come with me? Your dad will be there as well." Stiles asked, taking his keys out of his pocket.

"Yeah of course, will you be okay Cora?" Allison asked, leaning down to scent mark Cora, who was already in Erica's arms.

"Yeah, go and bring Derek back." Cora replied with a smile, scent-marking Allison back and leaning down so Erica and Isaac could do the same to Allison and Stiles.

"Come back in one piece okay." Erica said with a smirk, her eyes betraying her worry.

"We will." Stiles promised with a reassuring smile before nudging Allison and walking off quickly to get into his jeep and drive to the preserve.

When they got there, Scott bounded over to open Allison's door. Chris, Deaton and Boyd stood back, sending worried looks at Stiles which annoyed him somewhat but he couldn't tell why. He knew Boyd was suffering a little though and he summoned him over with a hand gesture before subtly leaning into his space and scent-marking him which made the werewolf relax with the mixed scents of pack.

"Okay so what's with the faces of impending doom?" Stiles asked, panicking slightly, he looked around and noticed that Lydia and Jackson were missing. "And where are Lydia and Jackson?"

"Jackson took Lydia home just before you got here, she was exhausted and still in a bit of a trance but we are to call immediately if anything changes. Derek is badly hurt but I can't help him if he doesn't change and he won't let anyone near him." Deaton said cryptically but before Stiles could ask anything more Chris chimed in.

"I don't know what happened, once I shot Peter, he jumped back and just started changing, then he crawled off to sit under the tree and hasn't moved since except too growl at anyone who tries to go over to him." Chris informed him worriedly.

Stiles didn't say anything then; he just walked past them and stopped abruptly in shock. A giant black wolf with red eyes was sitting under a large oak tree in front of him. Stiles could see the wolf trembling slightly, probably from the wounds and the wolvesbane which was travelling through the wolf's system.

"Derek?" Stiles asked, taking a tentative step towards him, the wolf didn't respond it just watched him warily. Taking another tentative step closer, the wolf began to growl weakly, a grumble deep in its belly; more of a pained growl than an angry one.

"Derek it's me." Stiles said gently, moving a little more, keeping his hands in full view of the wolf, letting him know he meant no harm.

The wolf didn't respond, it just kept watching him, letting another pained grumble with more of a whine added to it. The others were watching with baited breath; Scott and Boyd ready to jump in and pull Stiles away if they needed to.

"Come on Derek, I need you to change back. We all need you; we can't heal you when you're like this." Stiles said gently, nearly close enough now to touch the wolf.

The wolf gave a warning growl, seemingly scared of his approach now but the wolf was in too much pain to move, when it tried to get up and move away it gave a pained whine and flopped down.

"Cora needs her brother; this pack needs their Alphas and friend. I...I need you." Stiles said, desperate now that he knew Derek was in the pain that he was. He edged a little closer and set his hand on the wolf's head and began to pet him comfortingly, he saw the wolf look at the others warily before settling his eyes back down on Stiles and Stiles seemed to get the message.

"Okay. Scott, go into my jeep and there should be some sweats and a hoody in there, I think I forgot to take them out when I went to the gym yesterday. Don't get too close but bring them to me, everyone else; I need you to go and sit in the jeep or your cars or something, he doesn't want an audience." Stiles said, never taking his eyes off the wolf.

"How do you know?" Boyd asked worriedly.

"Well I hate to break it to you but if the roles were reversed, would you?" Stiles replied, not meaning to break out the sarcasm but dammit he's worried. Boyd looked sheepish and shook his head, they all seemed to get the message though, and Stiles had to go to Scott to get the clothes as the wolf began to growl threateningly when he made to go towards them.

"That's enough Sourwolf. They're just worried." Stiles chastised, too affectionate and concerned to be anything else.

The wolf looked up at him guiltily before trying to stand up stiffly, letting out another pained grumble, which soon turned into a human groan when he managed to turn back. "Are you sure Cora's alive? Before Peter took off, I was sure her heart had stopped beating." Derek asked desperately, the purpley-black veins shooting up his chest showing the work of the wolvesbane going through his system, Stiles looked up and thrust the sweatpants at Derek shyly.

"Cora's fine I promise. Take these first and put them on, I'm going to go get Deaton." Stiles said but before he could turn around Derek grasped his wrist.

"You... I don't want Deaton to help me, I don't think I can let anyone but you near me right now. I could hurt someone." Derek told him with a crazed upset look. Stiles knew it was the wolvesbane talking but he raised his hand to Derek's cheek worriedly.

"Derek, I won't let anyone hurt you and I won't let you hurt anyone. I need Deaton to help, he knows more about this than me; you have to trust me okay?" Stiles said calmly, trying to breathe deeply; knowing his calm heartbeat would help Derek more than his panicked one. Derek nodded shakily after a moment and with a pained groan, he pulled on the sweatpants while Stiles shouted for Deaton and waited until Deaton approached.

"Hello Derek, is it alright if I take a closer look?" Deaton asked gently; knowing how to handle volatile animals was his specialty after all

Derek looked at Stiles, who gave him a reassuring nod, before allowing Deaton to come closer and look at his wounds. Deaton took an injection from his kit and injected it into Derek's chest; where the wolvesbane was inserted and applied a special healing salve he had shown Stiles how to make.

"I'm sorry for before." Derek said tiredly, addressing Stiles and Deaton.

"It's quite alright Derek, you were in a lot of pain and I suspect that thinking your sister was dead was enough to trigger the shift." Deaton told him with a smile, looking at Stiles and Derek with smug/proud look and with that, he walked off to speak to Scott.

"Come on Derek, I promised Cora a puppy pile was in order and in your bed too." Stiles said with a reassuring smile.

"You should really stop calling them that." Derek said with a groan, pulling on the hoody and zipping it up.

"Never and you know it's totally true." Stiles said with a smile, he pulled Derek's arm over his shoulder and helped him walk towards the others.

"Umm...Stiles, I don't really want to leave him out here." Derek told him, trying to keep his emotions in check but Stiles always seemed to understand what he needed.

"Hey Scott." Stiles called out. Scott immediately perked up and all but bounded over. Derek growled instinctively but immediately looked sheepish and looked down at his feet.

"Sorry I didn't mean too." Derek said in embarrassment and Scott cautiously came closer but didn't touch Derek or Stiles.

"It's okay, what's up?" Scott replied, giving Stiles his best hurt puppy look.

"I think you, Boyd and Allison should go back to the loft, go on up to Grumpywolf's bed. Cora, Erica and Isaac are already there so you should join in on the cuddle pile. We're going to bury Peter and I need to find a way to stop this one from growling at anything and everything." Stiles said half-heartedly but his heart was beating worriedly and Derek ducked his head down in shame.

"Sorry." Derek mumbled.

"It's okay Derek, we understand. Be careful, both of you." Scott replied, not trying to make it sound like an order but it came out like one anyway.

"We will." Stiles promised, he waved at the others before helping Derek over to Peter. "I'm sorry Derek." Stiles told him, knowing that the loss of one more family member was killing Derek.

"He said the fire was all my fault, it's true. If I hadn't allowed Kate to trick me and if I had of just listened to everyone they would all be alive." Derek replied sadly, hanging his head.

"We have been over this. It was not your fault! Do you hear me?" Stiles told him sternly, gently turning Derek's face and looking at him determinedly. "Peter was unhinged, we all knew it. He's been trying to hurt you and you're letting him win. You know it wasn't your fault! It was Kate's and there is no way I'm going to let you fall back down that well of guilt again." Stiles said angrily, tears began pricking at his eyes as he thought back to the old broken Derek and he was scared things would go back to that.

Along with spending a lot of time together in that last few months, Derek had helped Stiles with his own guilt after the Nogitsune. He had hurt a lot of innocent people and almost killed Allison but they managed to get her to the hospital in time. Derek had opened up more about Kate and the fire and they had managed to comfort each other and help heal their guilt.

Derek looked at Stiles, some unspoken emotion in his eyes. "I'm sorry Stiles." Derek said, knowing exactly what was going through his head at the moment, Derek leaned forward and pulled Stiles into a tight hug.

"You've nothing to be sorry for." Stiles told him, voice thick with emotion and rubbing his hands up and down Derek's back. "Come on, let's bury Peter near your family and then let's go back to our pack." Stiles added, trying to keep his tone light.

Derek pulled back and tried to lift Peter with a pained groan and started walking towards his old house with Stiles' help. As they got closer, vehicles and supplies had been left there as the renovations were still ongoing and they headed to the back of the house. He didn't want to bury Peter near Laura, who was buried at the side of his house, and he set Peter down on the ground. Stiles picked up a shovel which had been left on the ground and started digging, exhaling in exertion every so often as bringing Cora back had taken a lot out of him but he swatted at Derek's hand when Derek tried to help.

"Hey Stiles?" Derek asked quietly when the unusual silence had gone on for too long.

"Yeah?" Stiles answered, almost finished his work.

"Thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you." Derek told him honestly, he was sitting tiredly beside Peter's body and was giving a weak smile to Stiles.

"Anytime. I mean it." Stiles told him softly. Stiles nodded towards Peter, not wanting to set Derek off by saying it out loud. He climbed out of the hole and gave Derek a sad smile as Derek picked Peter up stiffly and gently set him into the grave.

"I'm sorry Peter." Derek said sadly, he knew the fire had unhinged his uncle and he had his good days and bad days, this was obviously the worst day he's ever had with Peter as these outbursts weren't uncommon.

Stiles pulled Derek into a hug when he saw the Alpha's crushed look. Derek slowly reached around Stiles before tightening his hold, turning his nose into Stiles' neck and breathing in the comforting scent of Stiles and the rest of the pack.

"Hey, let me finish this and then we can go, okay?" Stiles told him, reluctantly pulling away from his hold and lifting the shovel again. It took less time to bury Peter and Stiles helped Derek into his jeep before getting in and starting the car.

"Stiles?" Derek asked quietly as they pulled out of the preserve.

"Yeah?" Stiles answered distractedly as he was driving.

"Are you sure Cora's okay? I...I heard her heartbeat stop. I thought for sure she was dead and Peter just laughed and I got angry and then Peter took off." Derek said sadly. He started to think that maybe Stiles only told him Cora was okay to get him to heal.

"Derek when we got there she was dead and I don't know I just couldn't take it. I ended up using my spark to bring her back, don't ask me how. I just wanted her to be alive so desperately and I healed her big injury before I tried bringing her back and it worked. Then Lydia screamed and she wouldn't tell us if it was you she was screaming for or not so of course I had a moment of weakness thinking you were dead. Oh and of course now the rest of them know about my Spark and I'm going to have to face the Spanish Inquisition, like I haven't even told my dad about that and he knows nearly everything." Stiles babbled, his anxious feelings that he had been keeping back began to bubble out of him in a rush.

"Stiles, calm down. It's okay." Derek told him reassuringly, setting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Stiles pull over." Derek added when he heard Stiles' frantic heartbeat.

"Yeah...yeah okay." Stiles said shakily, before pulling over and drumming his hands anxiously on the steering wheel. Derek gently took hold of Stiles' hands turned Stiles towards him.

"I'm proud of you." Derek told him, knowing how self-conscious of his powers Stiles was. "You were able to save my sister...and me. You did amazingly well and you know the rest of the pack will just be curious and no one will tell your dad but you. Okay?" Derek told him gratefully.

Stiles let out a shaky breath, trying to breathe in through his nose and out through his mouth to keep calm. After about a minute, his heartbeat started to slow, "Thanks Derek, I really needed to hear that." Stiles said with a cheerful grin, Derek had told him he was proud of him and was praising him for his powers, which Stiles was very self-conscious about as he wasn't sure what the others would think of him.

"Well I meant it. I am proud of you and how far you've come. Thanks for coming to get me. I think I would have died if you hadn't. I really didn't want anyone to get close, I thought Cora was dead, then Peter...I just lost it and shifted, I think I was just gonna run and run and not come back but Peter had stabbed me with wolvesbane before and when he knocked me down in the woods, I was too injured to go anywhere. So I chose...I think I chose to die, I didn't want to go back to the loft and have to face Cora's body." Derek said, looking away when Stiles looked crestfallen.

"Derek?" Stiles said sadly.

"But then you came and I still wasn't sure if I should trust you to get close, but you smelled so familiar and like pack and Cora and... and I knew I had to let you get close. I knew you were there to help me and... I couldn't refuse you even if I wanted to" Derek explained, trailing off at that last part.

"What do you mean?" Stiles asked anxiously.

Derek looked at Stiles and shook his head, not wanting to tell him in case he would get mad.

"Derek Hale you tell me right now! What does that mean? And if you don't tell me I'm gonna go to Deaton and get it out of him and don't you think I won't, and you know he'll tell me too." Stiles told him stubbornly, giving Derek his best glare.

Derek sighed in defeat, he knew Stiles would do it too and he had a feeling that Deaton already knew if that look he threw at Stiles and him earlier was anything to go by.

"Fine Stiles just...Just don't hate me; I'm perfectly okay with suppressing it like I have been for a while." Derek ground out cautiously.

"What are you talking ab-" Stiles exclaimed before Derek interrupted.

"I think you're my mate!" Derek said loudly, he didn't think, he knew but he wanted to have the option of telling Stiles he didn't mean it if Stiles got freaked out.

"What?" Stiles squeaked out, gaping at Derek.

Derek began to fidget under his stare. "Look I'm sorry okay, I've tried suppressing it and I've been happy with just being your friend and trying to ignore it but tonight I sort of lost it and when I was feeling like I didn't want anyone close the only person who could have brought me back was you; my mate. I'm sorry I didn't mean for it to happen and I never meant to push you into anything." Derek let out in a rush, it had been the most Stiles had heard Derek speak in one night and his jaw clicked shut.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Stiles asked, honestly feeling a little hurt that Derek hadn't told him until now.

"Werewolves mate for life Stiles. I couldn't face the rejection and I didn't want you to think you had to do anything about it." Derek said, looking anywhere but at Stiles then.

"Number one, you're stupid." Stiles said, flicking Derek on the nose, causing the wolf to yelp in surprise. "Number two, when has anyone forced me to do anything? You don't get to decide how I feel. I fucking love you, you big grumpy idiot." Stiles told him off affectionately.

Derek met Stiles' eyes then and pulled Stiles into a kiss, chaste and soft at first. Before pulling Stiles closer and kissing him with everything he had, both of them letting out their repressed feelings they had been holding for so long in a passionate kiss. When the need for air became too much, Stiles pulled back but Derek kept their foreheads together.

"I love you too Stiles." Derek told him with a small smile that was reserved just for Stiles whenever Stiles did anything Derek found particularly endearing.

"So, mates huh?" Stiles asked breathlessly, still amazed that the wolf in front of him was finally his.

"Yeah." Derek agreed happily, leaning in to press his lips to Stiles' again.

Stiles pulled back with another grin, his eyes had a soft happy look around them, something that seemed impossible all those months ago when the Nogitsune incident had happened. "Let's go, there's a puppy pile I'm rather fond of joining. Are you sure you won't be growling at anyone because so help me if you do I will chain you to a tree and leave you outside." Stiles joked, earning himself a growl and a familiar glare.

"Shut up Stiles." Derek told him grumpily, unimpressed with the dog jokes.

"What? You could go into your wolf form and make it all look totally legit." Stiles added with a chuckle and drove off.

Derek growled again. "You're lucky you're driving or I might kill you." He told him.

"Nah you wouldn't." Stiles told him smugly.

"No I wouldn't" Derek agreed mournfully, knowing that his threats wouldn't work now.

When they arrived at the loft, Stiles gave Derek another kiss and got out of the Jeep. Stiles sent a quick text to his dad to tell him he was with the pack and took Derek's hand. They walked up to the loft, walking past Cora's bloodstains, which Derek stiffened at. Stiles gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and led Derek up to his room, when Derek saw Cora and the rest of the pack, he sagged with relief.

"Shh." Lydia said from her spot beside Jackson.

"I thought you went home?" Stiles whispered to her.

"She demanded to come here, said she needed to be here." Jackson answered for her, snuggling closer to Lydia. Cora was in the centre of Derek's bed, Allison was curled up to Cora's left side, Scott snuggling up behind her. Lydia was on the other side of Scott, snuggled into Jackson who was facing her. Isaac was at the top of the bed, his head curled towards Scott and Allison, Boyd was curled up at the bottom with Erica snuggled into his chest, which left the right side free for the Derek to curl up to Cora and Stiles to go up and spoon Derek, every part of the pack reaching to touch Cora to comfort a pack member they almost lost. Erica began to snuffle closer to Derek and more limbs began to reach towards him as well, the comforting smell of the pack, his sister and his mate lulling him to sleep.

Stiles could ask questions tomorrow but for now he was just going to go to sleep, rubbing his nose into the back of his mate's neck and feeling more at ease than he had in a while.

I'm not sure if I'll do more chapters, if you want them I'll try but we'll just have to see :3 hope you liked it ^=_=^


End file.
